[jackmccullough]

What candidates or issues are you watching next week?

Also, how are things looking in your town? Recovered from COVID or still dealing with the dislocation it caused?

Does your town still do a town meeting, or are you Australian ballot?

I've lived in Montpelier since 1983 and we're a city so I've never been to a town meeting.

We have four significant bond issues, including Phase 2 of our sewer plant modernization and the one that's gotten the most attention, a bond for the city to buy an unused golf course, about 138 acres, for housing, outdoor recreation, a new rec center, and probably a lot of conservation land.

Plus, the mayor and four city council seats. I'm on the council but I'm not up for reelection this year.

Oh, one other thing: this is the first election that non-citizens have been allowed to vote in municipal ballots in Montpelier, so I'll be interested in seeing how much the turnout is. My prediction: not much, not enough to change the outcome of any election.

[vter]

Just town and school budgets where I live and there are no contested seats in my town this year, so I imagine it'll be a small turnout. Our town is doing Australian ballot for the 2nd year in a row and is hoping to go back to Town Meeting in 2023.

[Riley.]

Our town had only town and school budgets (nothing at all earth shattering there - we are a small town and our prop taxes may be reduced a bit) but there is one seat up for election on the select board and one on the school board.

The not-so-latest issue dividing everyone is the topic of race/gender equity studies. We only have an elementary school here but one of the write in candidates seems to advocate some sort of activism for the kiddos.

In the neighboring town, which has a middle/high school combined, there's an active almost 'cancel' campaign against two school board candidates who believe there should be a return to the basics in education and who feel the tone at the school itself is divisive. (one book was assigned that supposedly 'villified' white people and police officers and caused riffs between friends at the school). The activist group doesn't care and have said on their FB page that they don't want people on the school board who 'don't think like them.' Really. And, in an irony completely lost of them, they profess to desire inclusiveness.
This drama filtered over to our town just yesterday with questions for our write in candidates (one of whom removed her remarks about being in favor of racial equity from her FPF post and who has now gone aground).
We're having Australian Ballot again this year (usually we have an in person town meeting - ugh) so it's all over but the vote counting.

[NYLIER]

Originally Posted by jackmccullough

What candidates or issues are you watching next week?

Also, how are things looking in your town? Recovered from COVID or still dealing with the dislocation it caused?

Does your town still do a town meeting, or are you Australian ballot?

I've lived in Montpelier since 1983 and we're a city so I've never been to a town meeting.

We have four significant bond issues, including Phase 2 of our sewer plant modernization and the one that's gotten the most attention, a bond for the city to buy an unused golf course, about 138 acres, for housing, outdoor recreation, a new rec center, and probably a lot of conservation land.

Plus, the mayor and four city council seats. I'm on the council but I'm not up for reelection this year.

Oh, one other thing: this is the first election that non-citizens have been allowed to vote in municipal ballots in Montpelier, so I'll be interested in seeing how much the turnout is. My prediction: not much, not enough to change the outcome of any election.

What method was put in place to assure that these non-citizens are not able to vote in the State and National elections?

All is quiet in my Town. Some, including myself, are worried about the gas prices going so high bc it is taking a huge chunk out of our earnings.

A retired teacher is running for the school board because he feels the children aren't getting the education they should. He listed three concerns....They don't give homework anymore, they get to take quizzes and tests over again and are still failing, and essays don't have a time limit when they have to be turned in. Understandable issues of concern.

No Town Meeting this year.

[jackmccullough]

Good question.

The noncitizens (and this applies only to legal residents) are not being added to the voter checklist, but to a separate list. Not only are they not allowed to vote in state or national elections, they are not allowed to vote in any elections that are not for the city of Montpelier. This includes school board and budget elections for the Montpelier-Roxbury school district, board and budget elections for the Central Vermont Public Safety Authority, and an election being held related to the creation of a new district for the tech ed center.

[GeoffD]

I had Frank Bryan for a political science course a bajillion years ago. He’s the authority on Vermont town meeting. My recollection was he always said that town meeting is the most democratic way of governing ever invented. It’s worth Googling him and watching some clips if you have the time. There’s an interview from when he published his book. A bit dated since it was ~ 20 years ago but an interesting read.

https://press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/077977in.html